Getting from Brisbane Airport to Surfers Paradise

Travelling by train from Brisbane Airport to Surfers Paradise is made easy thanks to the Brisbane Airtrain. The Airtrain won’t get you all the way, however, after 1 hour and 45 minutes you’ll need to transfer to a bus at Nerang station and ride the bus for 25 minutes until you reach the centre of Surfers Paradise, just a street back from the beachfront.

Alternatively, you can disembark one stop earlier at Gold Coast Helensvale Train Station and switch to a tram towards Broadbeach South for 30 minutes. Both options take around 2 hours and 15 minutes, not including wait or transfer times.

A one-way ticket to Nerang or Helensvale Stations costs €23.30 (AUD 38.50) per person when purchased in person or from a ticket machine using a card or cash. An onward bus or tram ticket will cost €3 (AUD 5.10) as the journey only covers one zone, meaning you should pay around €26.30 (AUD 43.60) in total.

*If you’re visiting Brisbane and the surrounding region for 3 or 5 days, the go seeQ tourist smartcard allows you unlimited travel on the entire transport network plus two Airtrain journeys. You can purchase a go seeQ card from the Airtrain service desks at the airport, they start at €47.80 (AUD 79) making it a great budget option.

The train is the best budget option for transport from Brisbane Airport to Surfers Paradise. Unfortunately, it does require one transfer to a bus or tram which can be a hassle if you’re travelling with luggage or children and the journey time is twice as long as a taxi. If you want to avoid the stress of public transport timetables and fast track to your accommodation, we recommend pre-booking a private transfer and starting your holiday relaxed and worry-free.